It is a bad idea to make Russell Westbrook angry.
Before we start let’s get one thing clear: I believe Russell Westbrook deserves to win MVP. The tear that Westbrook is on is unbelievable. The guy is not only going to average a triple-double for the season, he is also going to lead the league in points per game. The individual stats are not all that makes him impressive though.
Westbrook has pulled this Thunder team into the playoff picture and they are fighting for the fifth seed. All of this comes after losing a top player in the league. But the truth of the matter is that if Westbrook were to not win the MVP, then the Oklahoma City Thunder would only benefit.
What started Russell Westbrook dominance this season was the actions of Kevin Durant. Not only did Durant leave the Thunder, he did so without giving much consideration into Westbrook. All of the work the two had done together was gone and Westbrook was clearly not happy about it. It seems like Durant leaving gave Westbrook the ultimate motivation – now it is time to give Westbrook another push.
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It is easy to say that Westbrook only cares about the individual awards. But let’s be honest, after all this work Westbrook deserves it. The chances are that he knows he deserves it. He goes out and plays harder than anyone else in the NBA and everybody knows it. If Westbrook were to lose the MVP then it would be a slap in the face to his play. The best part about that? The slap would come right during playoff time.
Westbrook would have something to prove during that time and the perfect place to prove it. There is no doubt that Westbrook would go even harder at opposing teams than he does now. The Thunder could also be facing the man who did win MVP in the playoffs in James Harden.
Can you imagine how Westbrook would play in a series against Harden after Harden beat out Westbrook for the MVP? Westbrook would take every step possible to let the world know that the better of the two players calls OKC his home.
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Westbrook knows he plays and acts differently from the rest and that is why he does not get the props he deserves. The secret about that though is that Westbrook does not seem to care. When asked by ESPN’s Tim Keown about not starting the All-Star game because he is marketed differently Westbrook said, “One hundred percent. That’s just because of how I play and what I do. It’s just different.” It is different, but it does not matter because what he does wins games. Not winning MVP would give Westbrook another reason to prove why his different play is the best way to play.
All of this talk about Westbrook is great but we cannot forget about the rest of the team. If Westbrook were to not win the MVP then they should not turn their backs on him. In fact, the team would do quite the opposite. The team would pick up their game in order to give Westbrook the support he needs. This team is such a family that if you slap one of them in the face then you do that to all of them.
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They rise together and fall together. Pushing Westbrook’s season down would make the entire team only get up and come out fighting even harder.